Rudolf dolge



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

RUDOLF DOLGE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE O. F. ZIMMERMANNCOMPANY, OF DOLGEVILL l, NEXV YORK.

HARP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 574,308, dated December29, 1896.

Application filed September 21, 1895. Serial No. 563,194. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may col/Loewe:

Be it known that I, RUDOLF DoLGE, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Harps, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of this invention is to obtain a bar or manual for stringedmusical instruments, such as harps, citherns or the like, which bar ormanual can be readily or easily operated; and the invention resides inthe novel features of construction set forth in the followingspecification and claims, and illustrated in the annexed drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 is an elevation of abar or manual sectioned along c m,Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a section along y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view likeFig. 1 with parts in` a dierent position than in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is asection along .e z, Fig. 3.

In improved kinds of instruments the bars or manuals are arranged notonly with fixed dampers or contactors, but also with one or more movabledampers or contactors, so that changes can be produced, as, for example,from maj orto minor. To simplify and facilitate the work of the player,it is important that the actuation of the movable dampers or contactorsshould be effected by the same kind of movement that is used to actuatethe bar.

In the accompanying drawings is shown a bar 1, which is hollow orgutter-shaped, having its lower or open edge closed by a piece 2,secured in place by fastenings, such as light strips or bands 3. The baris normally held out of contacting position by springs 4, but whendepressed against the action of said springs the dampers or contactors 5and 6 make contact. The dampers or contactors 5 are fixed to the bar,while the dampers or contact-ors 6, as also dampers or contactors 7, aremovable.

The dampers or contactors 6 are each carried by an arm of levers 8,fulcrumed at 9 to the side of bar l, said levers 8 being housed in thebar. Said levers are pivoted or jointed at 10 to a link 11, normallyheld raised in the bar l by a spring or springs 12.

Then the bar 1 is actuated by depressing or actuating handle 13, thedampers or contactors 5 and 6 are brought to active position, but ifsuch a depressed or actuated bar 1 has the change-handle 14 depressed oractuated, Fig. 3, the link 11 is actuated to bring into action dampersor contactors 7, which before were idle, while the dampers or contactors6 are now idle.

The changes that can be effected by suitable disposition of ixed andmovable dampers or contactors are obvious.

The depressing or actuating handle 13 and` change-handle 14: are bothactuated by like movement, so that the player does not have to make avariety of movements for effecting the actuation of the bar 1 and thechange of tones which are dampened or brought to sounding condition.

The bar 1 is shown shiftable, its ends being slotted to straddle theguides or pins 15, the shifting being effected by shifting handle 16.The depressing or actuating handle 13, if not shiftable, can be keptcentrally located between the guides 15, but this feature of depressingor actuating handle 13 forms no feature of this invention.

The change-handle 11 of course shifts with bar 1 and is shown extendingthrough a suitable opening in the top of said bar 1.

The contacting faces of the dampers or contactors G and 7 are shownsomewhat inclined, whereby these individual or movable dampers orcontactors can be better adapted for cleancut contact with and releaseof the strings.

As lightness and simplicity of construction are desirable it maygenerally be preferable to have a group of dampers orcontactors, such as6 and 7,1inked together to alternate,as seen, and actuated by a commonchange-handle.

Of coure it is obvious that chords can be produced not only by havingthe bars provided with dampers for cutting out certain strings, but alsoby bars, which by contacting with certain strings will cause saidstrings to sound, while leaving others dead or unsounded, the contactingbeing readily effected by hammers, picks, or the like on the bar.

In the drawings I have illustrated the action of a damper or dampers 5without indicating the grouping of the dampers for producinga certainchord, as this will be readily understood without special illustration.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isa- 1. Adepressible bar or manual combined ICO Swine@ sprin gs housed in Suidbnr or manual and mede to direetly support iihe link, :in netuntingkeyfor Suid link, rnd dempers ereontuetors (one or more) actuated by Suidlink, snbsinntinlly :is described.

CS. A hollow or Chamber-ed bnr or manual provided with a depressiblelink adapted to :ibut against or be arrested by the top of the bar ormanual, Combined with Springs housed in the lower pnl-t of the bnr ormanual and made to direct-ly support the link for normally holding' thelutter against the top of the bnr, n handle for actuating the link, anddempers or eontzietors (one or more) actuated by said link,substantially :is described.

.L. A barormanual, Combined with n group of individnelly-movablealternating dempers or eonmetors, and fr link eonnnon lo thenlternirtingl dempers or eon'taetors of the group` substantially nsdescribed.

5. A bnr or manual provided. willi :i link housed in the bnr, dnmpers oreontnetors enrried by the link, dumping' or eontnebing' leverslulerulned to the bzirnnd actuated by the link, and :in notunting-hnndlelor the link su bstn ntinlly is described.

(S.A bur or mnnunl made depressible or movuble toward an d from the srinoi' n. musical instrumeiiit und provided with n damper or contacterprovided with am inclined eoiuifiezing inee und made depressible ormovnble toward and from the Strings in the direeiiion correspondingI tothe direction oi' motion oi' the bn-r or mzrnunl, substnntinlly :isdescribed.

ln testimony whereof l hzrve hereunto sei. my hund in the presence oltwo subseribinj.; witnesses.

lVitnessesf WM. U. lLiUFiv, lll. F. lnsrnniuunnn.

